Method and system for packaging appliances

ABSTRACT

A system and method for the packaging of appliances for shipping. Specifically, the system includes geometrically shaped appliance packaging which can be stacked in a space saving orientation. The geometrically shaped appliance packaging increases the number of appliance units which can be fit into a shipping container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to packaging for small appliances, and more particularly to a packaging method and system to increase the number appliance units shipped in a shipping container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many small appliances are manufactures outside the Unites State and require shipping of therein. The small appliances are typically packed into a shipping container for transport. The number of appliance units which can be fit, into a shipping container is dependent upon the size of the appliance packaging.

A small to moderate decrease in the size of the appliance packaging can increase the number of appliance units which can be fit into the shipping container. This increase in appliance units per shipping container can provide a non-insubstantial cost savings. However, the size of the appliance packaging is often limited by the size of the appliance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides a system and method for the packaging of appliances for shipping. Specifically, the system includes geometrically shaped appliance packaging which can be stacked in a space saving orientation. The geometrically shaped appliance packaging increases the number of appliance units which can be fit into a shipping container.

The packaging of the present disclosure can include top and bottom surfaces, and front and back faces, where the front face is provided at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal. In this configuration, the top surface has a lesser width then that of the bottom surface.

When two of the packagings are placed side-by-side in a relationship, with one of the packaging being inverted, they have a total width equal to the width of the top and the bottom surfaces. As the width of the top surface is dependent of the angle of the front face, an increase in the angle can provide a decrease in the overall width of the side-by-side packaging when compared to standard rectangular packaging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a prior art appliance packaging;

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the prior art packaging of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of an appliance packaging of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 depicts a top view of the appliance packaging of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 depicts a first side view of the appliance packaging of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 depicts a second side view of the appliance packaging of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 depicts the prior art packaging of FIG. 1 in a side-by side relationship;

FIG. 8 depicts the packaging of FIG. 3 in a side-by side relationship;

FIG. 9 depicts a shipping box for the prior art packaging of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 depicts a shipping box for the prior art packaging for FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides a system and method for the packaging of appliances for shipping. Specifically, the system includes geometrically shaped appliance packaging which can be stacked in a space saving orientation.

Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference designators refer to like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1-2 a prior art appliance packaging 10. The prior art packaging 10 is substantially rectangular in shape have a height “h,” width “w_(b),” and a length “L.” In packing of the individual packages 10 for shipment, the packagings 10 are typically placed in a shipping box in a side-by-side arrangement. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when two packaging 10′ and 10″ are placed side-by-said they have a total width of 2*w_(b).

Referring to FIGS. 3-6 a packaging 20 of the present disclosure is provided. The packaging 20 includes top and bottom surfaces 22 and 24, and front and back faces 26 and 28. The front face 26 is provided at an acute angle a with respect to the horizontal. In this configuration, the bottom surface 24 has a width “w_(b)” and the top surface 22 has a width “w_(t). The height and the length of packaging 20 remain the same as the prior art packaging 10.

The width “w_(b)” of the bottom surface 24 is greater then the width “w_(t)” of the top surface, where:

w _(t) =w _(b) −h*cot a  (1)

As such, the difference in widths between the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 24 is:

?w=h*cot a  (2).

Referring to FIG. 7, when two packaging 20′ and 20″ are placed side-by-side, with one the packaging 20′ or 20″ being positioned in an inverted position with respect to the other, they have a total width equal to (w_(b)+W_(t)). Using equation (1) the total width of packagings 20′ and 20″ is equal to (2*w_(b)−h*cota). In this configuration, the packagings 20′ and 20″ have a spacing saving width of (h*cota).

In an example, the prior art packaging has the following external dimensions:

-   -   w_(b)=5.5 in.;     -   h=6.5 in.; and     -   L=12 in.

When two packaging 10′ and 10″ are placed side-by-side they have a total width or 2*w_(b), namely, 11 inches.

In contrast, when packing 20 has the following external dimensions:

-   -   w_(b)=5.5 in.;     -   h=6.5 in.;     -   L=12 in.; and     -   a=80 degrees,

the width of the top surface w_(t), using equation (1) is equal to w_(t)=4.35 in. When two packaging 20′ and 20″ are placed side-by-side, one being inverted, they have a total width of w_(b)+w_(t), namely, 9.85 in. As such, packaging 20 provides a width space savings equal to 1.15 in, or 10.5%.

In another example, when packing 20 has the following external dimensions:

-   -   w_(b)=5.5 in.;     -   h=6.5 in.;     -   L=12 in., and     -   a=70 degrees,         the width of the top surface w_(t), using equation (1) is equal         to w_(t)=3.13 in. When two packaging 20′ and 20″ are placed         side-by-side, one being inverted, they have a total width of         w_(b)+w_(t), namely, 8.63 in. As such, packaging 20 provides a         width space savings equal to 2.37 in., or 21.5%.

As can be seen, an increase in the angle a provides an increase in the space savings provided by packaging 20. For example, to provide a paired space savings of about 30%, the angle a can be calculation using:

cot a=[(% diff*2wb)/(100*h)]  (3)

Using the above example height “h” and width “w_(b),” the angle a is equal to about 63.08 degrees.

Typically, the appliance packaging is shipped using a shipping container. As standard 40 ft shipping container has the internal dimensions of about:

-   -   length=39 ft 4 in;     -   width=7 ft, 7 in, and     -   height=7 ft 9 in.

Using a simplistic shipping model, where the packagings 10 or 20 is positioned width-wise along the width of the container, length-wise along the length of the container, and height-wise along the height of the container, an estimate of the number of individual units which can be fit into the container can be calculated.

For example, about 8,736 individual units of the above example of the prior art packaging 10 can be packed into the standard container. In contrast, for an angel a=80 degrees, about 9,828 individual units of packaging 20 can be packed into the standard container. This is an increase of 1,092 units, or about 12.5%.

For an angel a=70 degrees, about 11,466 individual units of packaging 20 can be packed into the standard container. This is an increase of 2,730 units, or about 31%.

For an angel a=63.08 degrees, about 12,558 individual units of packaging 20 can be packed into the standard container. This is an increase of 3,822 units, or about 43%.

The above examples are estimates using the above described simplistic packaging model. However, the use of readily available container packing computer programs, which determine the optimal placement for appliance units to maximize the usable the container interior space, can further increase the number of units.

In another embodiment, the packages 10 or 20 are packed in shipping boxes. Prior to placement into the shipping container. Referring to FIG. 9, a shipping box 30 for package 10 is shown. The exemplary shipping box 30 is sized to receive four packages 10. In an embodiment, the shipping box is made of cardboard, having a wall thickness T equal to 0.375 inches. As such, for the above example package 10, the shipping box 30 has the following approximate external dimensions:

-   -   Width=11.375 in.     -   Length=13.375 in.     -   Height=12.375 in.

Using the previously described simplistic model for pack a standard shipping container, where the shipping boxes 30 are positioned width-wise along the width of the container, length-wise along the length of the container, and height-wise along the height of the container, approximated 2,128 shipping boxes 30 can be placed into the container. This is equal to 8,512 packages 10 (individual units).

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 10, a shipping box 32 for a packaging 20 would have a lesser dimension. For a packaging 20 having an angel a=80 degrees, a shipping box 32 has the following approximate external dimensions:

-   -   Width=10.225 in     -   Length=13.375 in     -   Height=12.375 in.

Using the previously described simplistic model for pack a standard shipping container, where the shipping boxes 32 are positioned width-wise along the width of the container, length-wise along the length of the container, and height-wise along the height of the container, approximated 2,128 shipping boxes 32 can be placed into the container. Additionally, due to the decrease in volume of the shipping boxes 32, additional space for about 239 partial sized shipping boxes 32 is available, for example each hold three packages 20. As such, the total number of units which can be fit into the shipping container is equal to about 9219 packages 20 (individual units). This is an increase of 717 units, or about 8.5%%.

For a packaging 20 having an angel a=70 degrees, a shipping box 32 has the following approximate external dimensions:

-   -   Width=9.005 in.;     -   Length=13.375 in.; and     -   Height=12.375 in.

As a result, approximated 2660 shipping boxes 32 can be fitted into the container. This is equal to 10,640 packages 20 (individual units). This is an increase of 2152 units, or about 25%.

For a packaging 20 having an angel a=63.08 degrees, a shipping box 32 has the following approximate external dimensions:

-   -   Width=8.075 in.;     -   Length=13.375 in.; and     -   Height=12.375 in.

As a result, approximated 2926 shipping boxes 32 can be fitted into the container. This is equal to 11,704 packages 20 (individual units). This is an increase of 319 units, or about 37.5%.

The above examples are estimates using the above described simplistic packaging model. However, the use of readily available container packing computer programs, which determine the optimal placement for appliance units to maximize the usable container interior space, can further increase the number of units.

It is thus seen that packaging 20 of the present disclosure can provide significant cost saving by increasing the number of units shipped per container.

All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims. 

1. A shipping container assembly comprising: a rectangular shipping container; a plurality of packages arranges in a pattern within the shipping container, each of the packages having a trapezoidal shape including a bottom surface having a width wb, a top surface having a width wt, a back face having a height h; and a front face provided at an acute angle α with respect to the bottom surface, wherein the top surface width wt is dependent of the back face height h and the acute angle α; wherein the pattern comprising an alternating series of upright and inverted packages, and each of the packages has a trapezoidal cross section.
 2. (canceled)
 3. A shipping container assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the acute angle α is less then 90 degrees.
 4. A shipping container assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein the acute angle α is between 60 and 80 degrees.
 5. A shipping container assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein the top surface width wt is equal to wb−h*cot α.
 6. A method of packing an appliance packaging comprising: providing a plurality of appliance packaging, each having a bottom surface, a top surface, a back face, and a front face provided at an acute angle with respect to the bottom surface; providing shipping box; and placing the plurality of appliance packaging in the shipping box in a width wise configuration, wherein along each row of appliance packagings in the shipping box adjacent appliance packaging are inverted.
 7. A method of packing an appliance packaging as set forth in claim 6, furthering comprising placing the shipping box in a shipping container.
 8. A method of packing an appliance packaging as set forth in claim 7, wherein in each of the plurality of appliance packaging comprises: the bottom surface has a width wb; the top surface has a width wt; the back face has a height h; and wherein the top surface width wt is dependent of the back face height h and the acute angle α.
 9. A method of packing an appliance packaging as set forth in claim 8, wherein the acute angle α is less then 90 degrees.
 10. A method of packing an appliance packaging as set forth in claim 9, wherein the acute angle α is between 60 and 80 degrees.
 11. A small appliance packaging comprising: a bottom surface; a top surface; a back face orthogonal to the bottom surface; and a front face provided at an acute angle with respect to the bottom surface; wherein the width of the top surface is dependent of a height of the back face and the acute angle. 